122 AsiaSpa July/August 2017TheGreatEscape
L
ying on the sundeck of our over-water
villa at Hurawalhi Island Resort, it’s
hard to remember just hours ago we
were rushing through busy Malé to catch the
seaplane to paradise. And what a paradise it
is! In front of me is an ocean of turquoise and
indigo stretched to the horizon, where fluffy
white clouds mark the border between sea
and sky. In the distance, the island’s beach
gleams under the brilliant sun as palm trees
sway in the gentle breeze. It’s exactly how you
picture the Maldives.
Opened in December 2016, Hurawalhi
is a private coral island set in the north of
the Lhaviyani Atoll. Getting here requires a
40-minute seaplane flight from Malé plus a
five-minute speedboat ride. After a scenic
journey over the Indian Ocean, you arrive at
the resort welcomed by smiling staff, a glass
of bubbly and a leisurely rhythm played on
traditional Maldivian drums to set the pace
of your great escape.NO HURRY
Check-in is a relaxed affair. At the open-air
reception with a refreshing drink in hand and
toes dug into cool sand, I sit back and take
in the postcard-perfect view. The realisationthat I am indeed in the Maldives, a world
away from the skyscrapers, traffic jams and
deadlines finally sinks in.
In no time we are ready for breakfast at the
Canneli Restaurant (you will be taken to your
villa if you arrive in the afternoon or if your
villa is ready), which serves an international
buffet thrice daily. My growling stomach
urges me to devour the pancakes as quickly
as possible, but there’s something in the air
that tells me to slow down and savour every
bite. Perhaps it’s the lulling sounds of the
waves lapping against the beach? Or maybe
it’s the egret standing on rocks nearby, waiting
patiently for a crab, like it has all the time in
the world?
Later we settle into our home for the next
few days, and decide that instead of packing
activities into the afternoon, we’ll simply laze
around or take a dip in the clear lagoon. While
all 90 Ocean and Beach villas share the same
chic, natural design and modern furnishings,
the Ocean Villas and Ocean Pool Villas are
built on the lagoon, giving you direct access to
the inviting water through a staircase from the
sundeck. The villa is spacious and homey, and
the door of the shower opens to the sundeck,
which is convenient after a swim.